July 31, 2010

Okay, fine, I’ll say a little bit more. I’m admittedly obsessed with beans. From black beans in Pico de Gallo Saladto the pinto beans I always add to my burrito bowl at Chipotle to the kidney beans that cover my everyday salads, I just plain love beans. So when I saw this recipe over on The Little Things, I pretty much died and went to Heaven.

Not to mention the fact that this chili allows me to pretend to be vegetarian for a day, which I always find kinda fun. I think it comes from my dad’s hyper-carnivorous side of the family. They would look at me like I had grown a second head if I suggested a meatless meal. It is that exact reason, among others, why I love vegetarian food. It’s my little way of rebelling.

Yes, I know. I’m incredibly hardcore. Please don’t feel intimidated.

There, I expounded a little on why exactly this chili calls my name. Please don’t ask me to do the same with the Cheddar-Cornmeal Waffles because I really don’t think I’d be able to stop. So, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started.

First off, chop up some onion, garlic, and a Serrano pepper.

Please ignore that poorly-chopped bit of Serrano in the front. I need to get better knives.

Once that’s all ready to go, toss ‘em in a large pot and sauté until softened.

This stuff will smell amazing.

While those little beauties are cooking away, it’s time for a bunch of tomato-y goodness. First, you’ll need to strain two cans of Ro-tel chopped tomatoes.

You can use another brand, but I think Ro-tel gives it a nice, Texan-y flair.

Along with the Ro-tel, add one large can of crushed tomatoes and one small can of tomato paste.

If you want the chili to be a little more soup-like, don’t strain the chopped tomatoes.

Add all the tomato business to the pot and give it a stir.

The beans are coming soon!

Next, add a can of corn.

Another one of the most heavenly ingredients on earth.

And then add the beans.

Here they are! From left to right, we’ve got pinto, kidney, and garbanzo beans.

Preferably of the Mexican variety, but that’s just because we’ve got a bit of a Southwestern thing going on already.

Pour that into the pot and stir it all to combine. Then let it simmer away for about an hour and a half.

While it works its magic, you can start on the waffles!

The first step of the waffles is to combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

The original recipe says to sift them, but I just whisked them together.

Once that’s combined, add in some finely chopped, toasted pecans and a packet of sharp cheddar cheese.

I was really surprised how great the addition of the pecans was.

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, club soda, and vegetable oil.

This, admittedly, does not look all that appetizing.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine.

We’re getting there.

Now, using a ¾ cup measure, spoon the batter into a preheated waffle iron, cooking for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot the iron is set.

I set mine on “dark” and cooked them for four minutes.

After a few minutes, they’ll look like this!

Crisp, cheesy, chili-sopping goodness.

Repeat the process with the rest of the batter until you’re left with oodles of these crunchy delights.

They’re also great with poached eggs and some extra cheese for breakfast.

After those are all done, set a few on a plate and top with some hot chili, sprinkling a little more cheese over the whole thing. It is truly divine. Plus the leftovers make for incredible chili-cheese hot dogs the next day.

Feeling inspired? Have I made you fall as much in love with beans as I am? Then what are you waiting for?! Get cookin’!

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic, and Serrano pepper in olive oil until softened. Add chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Gently stir in the corn and all three kinds of beans. Add seasoning mix, cocoa powder, and beer, stirring to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Variation: Add in the liquid from the chopped tomatoes and beans for a more liquidy chili.

Cheddar-Cornmeal Waffles

1 cup All-purpose Flour

1 cup yellow Cornmeal

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

1 8-ounce package Sharp Cheddar Cheese

½ cup toasted, chopped Pecans

3 large Eggs

1 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Club Soda

1/3 cup Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil

Sift or whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and pecans.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, club soda, and oil, stirring to combine; gently stir into dry ingredients just until blended.

Using a ¾ cup measure, spoon the batter onto a preheated, lightly greased waffle iron. Cook 5-10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Hi Koci; This chili was wonderful and I felt that since it was meatless, that it would keep fresh longer in the fridge. I found that I liked the waffles a lot, and to reheat them, I toasted them just like I'd tried with your banana oatmeal pancakes. I liked the crunchy toasted waffles covered with the warm chili and melting cheese. Can't wait to see what we're cooking next.